Phönix Bellheim

A small village club that managed to play in the Regionalliga SW in the
60s-70s. At the time, they were one of the smallest towns to have a club
at that level.

The club was founded in February 9th 1921 by 11 fans in the Gasthaus "Zur Reichskrone", and two days later had a general assembly with 22
interested members. They decided to concentrate on football, and that membership fee was fixed at 5 marks, plus 1 mark monthly. They also
received their first sponsorship, as Hugo Baumgrtner donated 300 marks. (Perhaps he was a forerunner of Dietmar Hopp). In any case, he
was voted president. By 1922 they had
joined the local Verband, and were assigned to the B-Klasse. By the mid 1920s, they had built the field, and charged between 30-50 pfennigs
for entry, but given the growing economic crisis, had low attendance.

By 1929, they had their first success, as they won the Kreismeisterschaft. The key player in these teams was Anton Lutz, who would score 50
goals a season on a regular basis. Unfortunately, he left the club in 1933. Due to the war, in 1942 the club was temporarily closed.

After the war, the club started up again and was soon in the Landesliga. They began a regional force and won the local Cup in 1952.

1962-63 was a highpoint of the club. They defeated ASV Landau in a playoff and were promoted into the 2nd division Regionalliga Sudwest.
This meant that they would have contract players for the first time. The players were given contract of 50 marks a month, plus 20 marks for
a win. They still had to use their own cars to get to matches though, as they could not afford a team bus. But there was a lot of
excitement, as they would now play "massive" clubs such as Pirmasens, Saarbrcken, Neunkirchen, Worms, Neuendorf, along with regional
rivals Landau. Bellheim did a decent job, despite being the smallest village in professional football at the time. They lasted until 1967,
when they dropped back into the amateur ranks. In 1971, the regained promotion for a short replay in the pro ranks.

Since those glory days of the early 1970s, the club has fallen into obscurity. After a last hurrah of 3rd division status in the late
1980s, they began a downward trend that sees them in the lower ranks of amateur football.